Dilated pores: how can you tighten your pores?

Pores are small orifices created by the sebaceous glands, sweat glands and hair follicles. They are what allows the skin to breathe.

On your face, they are often located in a T-shaped area, particularly on the sides of your nose, your chin and your forehead. Pores are always dilated to a greater or lesser degree and as a result, are more or less visible depending on the person. Generally, they are more noticeable on men. This is due to androgenic hormones that tend to stimulate sebum production during puberty.

Dilated pores are more visible on people with oily skin. But certain people with dry, sensitive skin can also have dilated pores. The same applies to people with mature skin.

When the pores are dilated, they can become infected. When they are obstructed, this can result in blackheads or small spots in the form of microcysts.

Dilated pores: what are the causes?

Dilated pores occur for a variety of reasons:

• Genetics: in most cases, people with dilated pores have a family member with the same characteristics.
• A hormonal imbalance: particularly during puberty, menopause or even pregnancy. Indeed, dilated pores can appear when the sebaceous glands are highly stimulated by hormones. This is due to androgens, male hormones, which stimulate this production.
• Skin dehydration: dilated pores occur more often on dehydrated skin.
• Poor healthy practices: too much fat in your diet or even tobacco can cause pores to become dilated. A diet that is too rich can make the skin more oily. Nicotine, which is found in cigarettes, has a negative effect on the hyaluronic acid in the skin, which is responsible for hydrating the cells.
• The sun and UV rays: after prolonged exposure to the sun, the skin thickens and retains sebum more easily. After a few weeks, the skin becomes thinner again and secretes the excess sebum, which causes the pores to dilate.

Dilated pores: what are the solutions?

Dilated pores are often seen as an unsightly problem, and there are many possible ways of treating them.

Cosmetic medicine can offer very effective solutions to fight against dilated pores. This particularly applies to facial peels, mesotherapy and other laser techniques which provide very satisfactory results.

In many cases, a simple cosmetic or aesthetic treatment will be enough to create perfectly smooth skin.